January 7, 1883. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
5 
injurioui to the Peaches which were ripening. I smeared the tar o n 
paper and tacked it to any vacant spaces on the hack wall, keeping th e 
fruit and foliage clear. Toe flavour of the Peaches becime so strongly 
impregnated by the tar that they were rendered worthless, and gave 
much disappointment, the family living at their London residence, and 
Peaches during June and July are much valued. 
Referring to Rood Ashton, I have a distinct recollection, when living 
there as foreman, that the depredations of the wasps at the gardens was 
such as I never saw elsewhere, and not confined to one season, but each of 
the four season < while I was there we had our patience most severely 
tried with the wasp pest. I fear that if I were to give the numbers of 
wasp nests which were destroyed in an area not very wide around the 
gardens my statements would be descredited. Morello Cherries (which 
I have seen finer at Ro'd Ashton than elsewhere), Red Currants, and 
other late fruits on walls, could not be saved but by carefully fastened 
hexagon netting.—M. Temple. 
POTATO CULTURE AND EXPERIMENTS. 
The following summary of results of experiments made at Chiswick 
in 1884 and 1885, for the purpose of testing the efficacy of the system of 
“ earthing-up ” advocated by Mr. Jensen, was read by Dr. Masters, on 
behalf of the sub-committee appointed to carry out the experiments, at 
the last meeting of the Scientific Committee of the Royal Horticultural 
Society. 
This official document, which was read on December 8th, did not 
reach us till after our pages were prepared for press on December 30th, 
which explains the delay in its publication. 
The experiments made at Chiswick for the purpose of testing the 
value of the Jensenian plan of moulding Potatoes as a preventive of 
the Potato disease were carried out in the present year in essentially the 
same manner as in the preceding year. A few slight modifications were 
adopted to facilitate the making of the record, and the tubers were placed 
at rather wider distances, the rows being now 4 feet apart, but these 
changes did not in any way interfere with the fair comparison of the 
results of the two years, the number of plants in each row being the 
same. The chief difference in 1885 consisted in the longer time the 
Potatoes were left in the ground. Thus in 1885 the longest duration of 
moulding was 118 davs on section I. of each row, as contrasted with 
eighty-three days in 1884. The shortest moulding period in 1885 on 
section V. was sixty-two days, as compared with twenty-seven days in 1884, 
The Potatoes were examined on March 31st by the Committee, previous to 
planting, and all diseased and “ suspicious ” tubers eliminated. During 
growth they were inspected at stated intervals, and their condition noted. 
The season was for the most part warm and unusually dry, and no appear¬ 
ance of disease was noticed at any time on the haulms. On the 10th of 
October, the weather for some days previously having been wet, the tubers 
were lifted and carefully examined by Mr. Shirley Hibberd, Dr. Masters, 
and Mr. Barron. Two unmistakeably diseased tubers were noted during 
the uplifting on row 3 (A iirondack) ; and three on row 2 (Recorder). 
Others that appeared supicious were sent to Mr. George Murray, who, 
after adopting appropriate methods of cultivating the fungus, reports 
that only one was really diseased. It should be remarked that the 
peculiar red spots in the substance of some of the tubers noted the 
previous year were not observed at all, though carefully looked for. 
As the immediate object of the experiments has again failed in its 
fulfilment, owing to the slight development of the fungus, a detailed 
report seems unnecessary, though the documents are at hand for preparing 
it if thought desirable. A few general remarks, based on the results of the 
two years taken together, may be of interest. 
1, The amount of produce under the varied conditions of the experi¬ 
ment. 
2, The effects of long or short periodsj'of earthing-up, and of not 
carthing-up at a’l. 
3, The consequences of bending the haulms in the manner recom¬ 
mended by Mr. Jensen. 
4, The results obtained from planting whole tubers and cut sets. 
1, The aggregate produce from all the rows of Recorder in 1884 was 
257 lbs. ; in 1885, 254 lbs. 8 ozs., showing a decrease of 2 lbs. 8 ozs. in 
1885, and a total amount for the two years of 512 lbs. 8 ozs. The corre¬ 
sponding figures in the case of Adirondack are 455 lbs. 9 ozs. in 1884, 
434 lbs. 12 ozs. in 1885, showing a decrease of 20 lbs. 13 ozs. in 1885, and 
a total amount for the two years of 890 lbs. 5 ozs. Thus the actual pro¬ 
duce of all the rows of each variety was so nearly alike in the two years 
as to be all but practically identical. On the whole there was a decrease 
in 1885, in spite of the tubers having been allowed to remain longer in 
the ground than in 1884. This decrease may perhaps be accounted for by 
the prolonged drought, but the close approximation in the amounts of 
proluce in the two years respectively seem to afford an indication of the 
success of the method employed in carrying out the experiments. 
2, Effect of Earthing-up on the Amount of Produce .—When the re¬ 
sults of the two years are combined it comes out clearly (in the case of 
Recorder), under all conditions of growth, that the greatest weight of pro¬ 
duce (irrespective of quality) was obtained from those sections (IV. 
and V.) which were earthed-up for the shortest time. Some of the largest 
tubers were met with in these sections, but mixed with a large number of 
smaller tubers, while their general quality was even and relatively bad. 
The same general remarks do not, however, apply to Adirondack, 
which shows more variation in this respect, and in which the largest, as 
well as the best and mo3t even tubers, were frequently found in those 
sections which had been earthed-up for the longest time. It may be sug¬ 
gested that the results obtained show the probability that the process of 
earthing-up differs in its effects materially in the case of different varieties 
of different habit of growth, texture, &c. At any rate, it may be useful to 
call attention to this subject with a view to future experiments, the more 
*so, as little or nothing is known of the relative effect of earthing-up on 
different varieties. 
Potatoes Grown Without Earthing-up. —In both years four “ control 
rows ” were planted, two of each variety, the object being to afford a 
comparison between the Jensenian system of moulding and the natural 
condition of growth in which no “ moulding ” at all occurs.* 
The total produce for the two years on row 5 (Recorder, whole) 
amounted to 100 lbs. 4 ozs., an amount considerably in excess of the yield 
from any of the moulded rows of this variety (row 2, 84 lbs. 6 ozs., ; 
row 8, 91 lbs. 13 ozs.). Oa row 11, where cut tubers were planted, the 
yield for the corresponding period was 87 lbs.—also somewhat in excess of 
the crops on the corresponding two rows subjected to moulding (row 1, 
68 lb3. 1 oz., and row 7, 80 lbs.). The tubers on row 5 and row 11 were 
noted as much mixed in size ; some of those on row 5 being much coarser 
an f larger than on the other rows of the same variety, while many others 
found lying on the surface were green and small. They had also Seen the 
subject of insect attack and injury by slugs and millipedes to a much 
greater extent than the tubers in the other rows. 
Of Adirondack left to itself the total produce of the whole tubers 
(row 6) for the two years wa9 186 lbs.—an amount greatly above the 
quantity on the corresponding moulded rows (row 4, 129 lbs. ; row 10, 
150 lbs. 14 ozs.). In the case of the cut sets (ro* 12) the total amount 
(for the two years) was about the same—viz., 182 lbs 14 ozs., and also 
largely in excess of the corresponding moulded rows (row 3, 113 lbs., 5 ozs. ; 
and row 9, 128 lbs. 6 ozs.). The same remarks as to quality apply to the 
unmoulded rows of Adirondack as to those of Recorder. 
It is clear, then, that under all circumstances the actual produce was 
greater in the unmoulded rows, but that, while some excellent tubers may 
be grown in this way, the general bulk is much mixed, comprising 
numerous tubers unfit for consumption, hut what might possibly have 
some advantage (so far as the plant is concerned) in point of physical 
health over those moulded-up. The small green tubers, for instance (if 
not affected by disease), might furnish stronger plants than those grown 
beneath the surface, while their noxious flavour might repel rather than 
attract predatory insects, &c. 
3, The Effect of Bending the Haulms or Otherwise. —In each year two- 
rows of each variety were allowed to grow without interference, while in 
other two rows of each variety the haulms were at regular intervals of 
time bent downwards. There was no opportunity afforded in either year 
of testing the value of this practice as a preventive of disease, but the 
average amount of produce for the two years from the erect and the bent 
tops respectively shows the effect of the check to growth occasioned by the 
bending. The average produce of the two years on rows 7 and 8 (Re¬ 
corder, erect tops) was 81 lbs. 6 ozs., on rows 1 and 2 (bent tops) 
76 lbs. 2 ozs. 
The corresponding figures in the case of Adirondack are 139 lbs. 
10 ozs. for the unbent haulms (rows 9 and 10), and 126 lbs. 1 oz. for the 
produce of the bent tops (rows 3 and 4). 
4. The Effect of the Employment of Whole Tubers or of Cut Sets .— 
In the control rows, as before stated, the greatest weight of produce of 
Recorder in both years was obtained from the whole tuoers, the totals 
being 100 lbs. 4 ozs. on row 5 (whole), and 87 lbs. on row 11 (cut). 
In the case of Adirondack, the total produce in the case of the whole 
tubers (row 6), = 186 lbs., shows only a slight excess over the yield from 
the cut tubers (row 12), = 182 lbs. 14 ozs. In 1884 the produce from the 
cut tubers (95 lbs. 10 ozs.) was slightly in excess of that from the whole 
tubers (91 lbs. 4 ozs.) ; in 1885, however, the balance is much in favour 
of the whole tubers— i.e., 94 lbs. 12 ozs., as against 87 lbs. 4 ozs. 
The whole tubers of Recorder subjected to moulding in various 
degrees, yielded in the two years a total crop of 176 lbs. 3 ozs.— i.e., 91 lbs. 
13 ozs. from erect, and 84 lbs. 6 ozs. from bent tops. 
The cut tubers of the same variety for the same period supplied 
141 lbs. 1 oz., = 80 lbs. from the erect, and 68 lbs. 1 oz. from the 
bent tops. 
The whole tubers of Adirondack produced a yield of 279 lbs. in the 
two years, of which 150 lbs. 14 ozs. were yielded by the erect, and 129 
lbs. by the bent haulms. 
The cut tubers of the same variety yielded during two years a total 
of 241 lbs. 9 ozs.—viz., 128 lbs. 6 ozs. from erect, and 113 lbs. 3 ozs. from 
bent haulms. 
In general terms it may be stated, as a result of these experiments, 
that (1), earthing-up proluces a crop of more uniform and of superior 
quality, though less in actual quantity. (2), That ben ling the haulms 
occasions a diminished yield. (3), That a larger aggregate produce is 
derived from planting whole tubers than from the employment of 
cut sets. 
[Elaborate tables are formulated, but as these merely give the 
weights of the produce of the different rows in pounds and ounces, 
proving nothing more on the main question than is given in the above 
excellent summary, we do not think the space of this Journal would be 
usefully occupied by their publication ] 
* It may here be noted that no special rows of Recorder or Adirondack were set 
apart and moulded in tbe ordinary way, because, for the immediate object of these 
experiments such a course was unnecessary, the experimental rows being contiguous to 
a large area devoted to the cultivation of numerous kinds of Potatoes in the usual way, 
so that had the disease appeared ample means of testing the effects of the ordinary, ae 
compared to the Jensenian system, would have been afforded. 
